Perry's Blog

Hey Mouser... it's a bit embarrassing: "it started as a wart on my head" -- but we loved (nearly) every minute of the walk and just about every minute of the write up (nothing like it to refresh the memories :)

it's amazing to see how seriously you took to documenting the walk.. you gave it the momentous treatment it deserved. i wish we could send you all around the world to write a book about things like this..

I'm so incredibly impressed with the extent of your planning. What an undertaking to do all those drop offs on the way back from Albany. Bet it was exciting when you later walked into the places you'd been to on the drive. Can't wait to read the rest :-)

An important point about T-Next's experience is that just because the SPOT thinks it's sent a message does not mean that the satellite has received it.

And I imagine in such a "low powered" device, that there is not a lot of room to play with. Therefore: it is essential to test your device with the batteries you plan to use. As lithiums, NiMH, etc all have different discharge curves. I'm not sure at what point the SPOT doesn't send with enough grunt to get it to the satellite: but it is significant that the success rate on the last day's messages was 50% (nowhere near the overall 95%!!)

Also note that this test was only Check-in messages, not tracking: I have not thought too much what difference that would make??

Just confirming the low battery problem: the Spot will go a long time with the low battery light blinking but perhaps should not be trusted. On a long day hike, I started out with green battery light then after half hour the red battery light started blinking.

I was 'tracking' and had successful GPS signal lights and successful message lights for the entire day, including a couple of 'check in' messages but NOT ONE of those messages got through, this resulted in an overdue hiker report to law enforcement because I was late getting out, and unnecessary worry and embarrassment. All the while I thought the signals were getting out because the message light was blinking green through the whole time.

Someone has to Paul, and I'm glad you are!

I'm watching you

LOL: Sandi really does like the song... just not the whole day long ;)

And it definitely sounds better with two... and one more makes three!!

Hello....I was wondering if when I see you next if Sandi could temporarily put her fingers in her ears and sing "la la la" while you sing the walking to Albany song???

Thanks Dwight: yes, on my NiMH the last day was 50% success.

I'm not sure about the discharge curve of Lithiums, but NiMH is very different to standard alkaline batteries: they stay high for most of their life then drop off at the end very quickly.

The whole "battery level" thing seems to be a bit of a black art, and the different battery types doesn't make it any easier for the manufacturers (I only got 16 messages off before the low battery indicator started!). This is why I wanted to test my devices with the batteries I was going to use them with: which seems simplistic, but it's essential.

I have two friends with Spot 2's. They started having lots of message failures. Even though the low battery red LED's never came on they tried new batteries. The success rate went back up to near 100%. They are using the lithium AA's.

I'm still having good results with my Spot 1.

The global temperature record represents an average over the entire surface of the planet. The temperatures we experience locally and in short periods can fluctuate significantly due to predictable cyclical events (night and day, summer and winter) and hard-to-predict wind and precipitation patterns.

Thanks Greg. Yes, I have never tried the SPOT1, the comparisons around the net were not always complimentary to SPOT2; but I'm more than happy with mine for how I use it.

Hope your research goes well and your happy with the outcome (love to know what it is BTW) :)

probably everywhere ;)

at your son's house :(

John asked via email what I thought about the SPOT now and would I consider the Connect.

I replied:

We don't have a smart-phone so for us we'd not consider the Connect (and have not looked closely at it).

But if we did have a smart-phone, I think it only adds a custom message ability (42 characters) more than what the normal SPOT2 has? Would I go for that?? Probably not, in that it would mean that I have to take the smart-phone with me.

It also means that there are two points of possible failure (SPOT & Phone).

But if I wasn't hiking (i.e. in a car maybe) and had a smart-phone, I probably would go for it because of the custom messaging :)

I'm getting to the end of an extended battery test with the SPOT and I'm very impressed with the results so far, both for battery and messages.

Maybe the answer will prove to be "Not toilet proof" :(

Well, I still have the RollerMouse at work (they bought one for me to use at the office) -- and it's a fantastic piece of equipment (and saved my sholder!!)... but how can you compare $24 with $220??

Apart from that, gestures are a much more efficient method of interacting with the computer (at this stage, anyway).

Hey Perry - And here I was jut looking wistfully at the RollerMouse again three days ago! I've wanted one ever since you first posted about it at DC; just couldn't justify the pricing at the time, but I've been saving and now this bit of unfortunate news. Guess I need to rethink things...

Glad you're happy with the Bamboo!

Jim (J-Mac at DC)

Thanks Rebecca: I'd be interested to know how it goes in Kenya. I'll be taking it on a more extended walk in a couple of months (hopefully in better weather).

I got to know a few Peace Corp-ites when I was volunteering up in Papua New Guinea... I hope you enjoy your placement!

Very nice post! I'm bringing the Fuse with me to Peace Corps in Kenya next month...

Thanks Peter: you're very kind... you've a great site yourself, which I often use (I hope I've given enough credit? Which reminds me, I should put a link to your site on my front page...)

Wow, that looks like a lot of fun. Makes the Six Foot Track look like a stroll in the garden.

Yes, that's probably what'll be happening... when we did the Great North Walk we stuck rigidly to the itinerary, but this time we're planning to go with the flow more and just enjoy the walk.

Looks good. It would be tempting to stay at Dex Creek for the last night, rather than carrying water for the last section.

I gave a deep sigh of relief when the meal was complete: it was just like cooking in a restaurant (unfortunately), because of time pressure I had to produce the next course when the previous was finished.

Working bee? They're the things that Sandi and Briony organise ;)

Sounds beautiful Perry - and I'm glad Sandy's birthday wasn't another working bee ;)

Give Sandy a big hug from all of us!

Amazingly enough: our Local Library had a copy of the English translation of the book, so we now have a copy to read!

How good is that??

Thanks for very interesting blog!

some toilet uses do benefit from sitting, I hope a no standing policy is specific in it's application!!

Do you have a no-standing policy? Hope not, otherwise I'd get a sore neck ;)

Hi Sue:

Hope your walk is going really well: you will have had some great walking weather.

Love to know how you've gone!!

wow

Just loved your reiteration & great photos of what seemed to have been a great trip. My husband & I set off this Monday from Sydney. We will finish at Teralba, possibly taking 15 days.
Thank you both for making such a wonderful contribution to other hikers
Cheers Sue

thanks

Well, we're back after 1,200 photos... so I've got a bit of sorting out to do. Expect more soon :)

Hi Chris:

Yes, we did the bit we did in 2 weeks: Read Here

i realize it's a while since you did the GNW - did you manage it in the three weeks. Perhaps you could share some details of your experience for those who have only just discovered the joys of walking the GNW at www.thegreatnorthwalk.com and also give them some of your excellent photos for their banner competition.

When you turn 50 Sr D, I'm sure something can be arranged!! :)

Awesome! and Amazing! Why didn't I think of this for my 50th??? Truly lovely! And have a great Jubilee Year, Perry!

Hi Christine:
Where are you (in the world)? Wet Springs?

Tamarillos are extremely sensitive to drainage issues. We have very well drained soil as well, based on sandstone at the top of a ridge, and I think the issues outlined in this post related to the wet period we had, as there have been no subsequent losses (it feels like drought here).

Suggestions? Controlling "run on" will help: that is, stopping water running onto, or into, where the Tamarillos are planted.

I had one good year of tamarillos - which made me addicted.

I have had no luck since.

I have rich well drained soil - the tamarillo thrives over winter and just as it starts to fruit in spring, the leaves droop go yellow and die and the tree goes the same way ... slowly ... any suggestions???

Far too blessed really ;)

What do you mean Fran? Photos never lie!

...and I think all the Nelsons are great.

belated birthday wishes from all of us ... you surely are a blessed guy!!!
the weekend looks like so much fun and I'm sure the photos aren't lying!!!
lots of love
from all Nelsons great and small

What a blessed mob you guys are. Surely God honours families who follow Him.

what a wonderful weekend you had! all the pictures proved it! belated congratulations from me. isn't the countryside out there beautiful? and what a work of art the cake was!!!
when I turned 50 (which was 3 years ago) s.diadema and I went 5 days to Uluru/Ayer's Rock for a prayer conference, that was also an unforgettable experience.
lots of love to all of you
from sister humilita

Happy birthday for Keren on the 24th and for Jesse tomorrow!

I have often thought about changing my keyboard layout to something non-standard, more personalized, and specifically tailored to my actual usage and typing style. Not everyone types the same words, so I don't think one layout is perfect for everyone.

I thought of remapping the keys I use most to the home row and the QWERTY E-I positions, and the least used keys to the bottom row, which for me has always been a bit of an issue that slows me down.

I also thought about commonly used words and don't think they should be typed with the same hand, nevermind the same finger. (example: lol)

I am still thinking about it and still collecting my personal usage data, counting the number of keystrokes each key gets. Maybe I'll make up my mind about this by the time I have collected a year's worth of data.

Ok: gave up on this book... almost hated it! All Courtenay's heroes are too good to be true. Shame: was looking forward to a good Coast Watchers story.

Thanks! Yes the rains good: glad we left it in Australia!